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The reason I have been pinging JR is that I want to elaborate on something that I think is very destructive to his forum, in fact, it is a symptom of the success of the FReepers' efforts in influencing the conservative base. Unfortunately, that success has obviously attracted the attentions of campaign consulting firms and the surrounding cloud of GOP organizational wannabes.

The latter more than likely get training in how to influence the forum into supporting a particular candidate. The reason I say this is that the methods employed by the various supporters are nearly identical and have been for about seven or eight years now (more for Palin and Perry than anyone else in this go-around). These are exactly the techniques first employed here by FairOpinion and the cloud of Schwarzenegger backers s/he commanded in the recall election of 2003 (all thankfully banned, especially (expletive omitted) 68grunt... ). I don't think anyone here now would dispute today the damage they did to California conservatism by convincing the CAGOP leadership that FReepers could be browbeaten into accepting "Arnold can win." He did, but conservatism in California, which had sponsored the recall in the first place, was mortally wounded once Arnold's people (see RINO Pete Wilson) took over the party machinery. They never let a conservative nominee get a dime from the Party ever again. In fact, they openly derided conservative nominees for Statewide office.

So, given the "success" of that gambit, I thought I would lay out how the formula works. It goes like this:

Post an MSM story favorable to said candidate or unfavorable in a manner supposedly attractive to conservatives.
This thread is a prime example in that Perry, while cheering conservatives with his derision of a Marxist university professorate, is proposing a testing system that HE KNOWS will be administered by State educational bureaucrats as a "remedy"! Guess who writes the questions for these tests. Guess who grades them. He either KNOWS that the result of more centralized control is a continued drift to the left, or he's an idiot. Take your pick.
So, when he makes this pitch for a "solution," he is either fundamentally dishonest or delusional. It's your choice as to which, but in either case he is not a desirable candidate for President of the United States.
So, knowing this, our team of Perrywinkles has to get conservatives to cheer without thinking things through. This calls for a snow job! Which brings us to step 2.
Immediately put up a blizzard of preconstructed posts containing related links, talking points, and excerpts about all sorts of candidate related schtuffe. These posts are to be of sufficient length that they encompass as much as most people would ever want to read. The purpose is not to get them to read it but to use up space so that by the time anyone with a contrary opinion might post, it is too far down the page for most people to bother. This technique turns a discussion forum into an advertising page.
Offer warning posts to one's cohorts that the (insert candidate initial here)DS "bots" or some other epithet will soon be there. Gasp!
If someone does show up and post the obvious, stand ready with one of two responses: either a canned set of factoids similar to item 2, or outright insults, obliquely condescending slaps, and other niceties. You and shield are real pros with these CW.
If said "opponent" provides significant fact or content, ignore it completely. Instead ping said cohorts, especially those with lists of backers.
By this time, the thread is populated either with only diehards or somebody with a point to make for future reference (as I did here). Little did they know that I was also doing this to expose the pattern with this post. The thread descends into what might otherwise appear to be a flame war.
Repeat the process with similar postings with which to fill up the sidebar or make good an escape should they take too much of a beating on facts.

Here is the problem: FreeRepublic was set up by its owner to be a grass roots forum. When this method becomes the pattern the grass roots get sucked into dealing with this constant barrage from people with little else to do. Thus, the conservative base loses its home for exchanging and developing ideas. There are lurking consequences to this that need be considered seriously.

First, FR is so influential that to consume a large portion of the sidebar constitutes the equivalent of valuable commercial advertising space. If in fact some of these posters are paid professionals (of which I have little doubt) their presence here shows that FR is effectively making an in-kind campaign contribution that as of now goes unreported. I see every likelihood that some zealous enforcer would be delighted to bring such a case. The amount of effort it would take to police such would be a big drain on the site's resources in a campaign year. All of that is bad.

Second, grass roots candidates get less exposure, indeed they get systematically marginalized by these propensities, which is counter to the entire purpose of the forum and immensely disrespectful of the private property rights of its owner.

Third, some very good posters and contributors to FR get tired of the crap and leave. FR then becomes less attractive to those who might otherwise come here to develop and discuss original ideas. It degrades FR's reputation as a center for thoughtful conservative discussion. That leaves the conservative movement less equipped with well developed and distilled ideas with which to attract support for true conservative candidates and legislation. It also inhibits distribution of said ideas.

Fourth, because everybody in these battles knows each other, the discussion becomes confusing and intimidating to newbies in that shorthand communication often lacks infill information, while reference to insults without apparent basis appears unpleasantly vitriolic. This harms forum growth.

Fifth, said confusion, and lack of exposure on the sidebar cuts support for grass roots conservative candidates which makes it more likely that RINOS get nominated. Just look at how the Fred Thompson fan dance consumed conservative energies, defocused support, kept other conservatives from developing sufficient momentum to take on the media/Party machinery as time grew shorter. The process precluded conservative support from coalescing behind one person such that McCain could gather momentum despite the fact that he is so terribly despised among the conservative base. How else could he have won in South Carolina? This has happened often enough to become a cliche.

Sixth, once said RINO gains the nomination, conservative support dries up, said RINO doeth the now famous Bob Dole Swan Dive, and the Democrat gets elected. I call all that bad.

I have no problem with professional representatives of candidates or the candidates themselves showing up here to discuss their strengths and answer challenges but ONLY so long as they identify themselves as such. This ongoing battle among consulting firms and Party apparatchiks portraying themselves as grass roots activists has to stop. It is a fraud upon the people of this forum for which, in my opinion, they should be banned.

There is only one counter to such posting volume, and that is to answer every one, for which people with a life outside the forum only have so much time. I can only say that I admire immensely calcowgirl immensely for the heroic and thorough job she did in the face of FareOpinion et al. when they highjacked this forum for Arnold and then his fraudulent ballot propositions. There is a place in heaven for that kind of persistence.